DUSK.
I knew it was a big jump, but thinking of the facts, it was real.
The murders started right after Athena showed up. I had asked her about her white skin, and she had given me a lie I foolishly believed. No one knew where she truly came from; the only things we knew about her were what she had told us.
She had helped Lucius find comfort and peace and had asked him to help her, and Lucius, being the cold-hearted jerk he was, had agreed.
If I proved it and found out he was behind it all, I’d never forgive him; I’d do all I could to take him down.
I burned with hatred for him at that moment because if truly he was the only one Leo feared, then he had taken Leo down so Athena could suck his blood.
I knew I was thinking too far, but there was a good chance I was right.
~
Later in the afternoon, Seline came to me in my room, looking troubled.
"What’s wrong?" I asked her, and she sighed.
"It seems like we’re going to lose Leo.” She said, and I sat up because I didn’t know where to start again if we lost Leo.
I was really banking on him to expose Lucius.
But then a thought crossed my mind. If truly Lucius was the one, what could I do about it? He was the Alpha of the Kingdom, and he wielded power more than anybody else. There was nothing I could do.
"Why do you say that?” I asked, and she gave an even deeper sigh.
"He’s lost a lot of blood. The physician says he can’t make it without enough blood, and my blood isn’t compatible with his; so is Athena’s and everyone else’s.” She said, and I stood up.
"Let’s check mine. It might work.” I said, and she stood on her feet and faced me.
"You’re willing to do that?” She asked, and I nodded.
As we raced to the physicians’ quarters.
I thought that if I couldn’t take down Lucius and his loyal subjects, then I'd have no choice but to go to Alpha Rafael and see what he could do because people couldn’t keep on dying.
~
"It’s not." The physician said after testing my blood.
I felt devastated.
"So we’re just going to let him die?” I asked and looked at Athena, who had the perfect expression of worry on her face.
"Our blood types match. Test me." Someone said from the door, and we all turned to see Ariadne.
She walked in with her head high, shot me a look of dislike, and almost pushed me away under the pretence of wanting to take her seat.
The physician tested Ariadne, and she came back with a smile.
"It’s a match. Would you donate some blood to him?” He asked Ariadne, and she looked at Lucius.
"I would do anything and everything to make my Alpha feel at peace.” She said, and the physician smiled.
"Leo would be grateful.” He said, and we watched as the whole process left Ariadne feeling weak; she was told to rest, and Leo looked like he was going to wake up in a short while.
It made everyone feel a bit of happiness and joy; however, the next morning, I was woken by Seline, who had a swollen face.
"We lost him.” She said, and I sat up straight.
"Who?" I asked, and she sniffed as her eyes filled up.
"Leo." She replied, and I watched the tears running down her face.
"How did it happen? Ariadne gave him blood.” I said, and she looked at me.
"This morning, he was whiter and paler than he had been; the vampire had come back and sucked every single drop of blood in his body till he died.” She said, and I was horrified.
"This morning?" I asked, but she shook her head.
"Over the night. I didn’t know him that much, but I feel we should have saved him. We should have fought for him. It's just one vampire, but we’re a pack; I feel guilty.” She said, and I held her hand tight.
"That’s why you should believe me when I say I hate this pack.” I said, although I knew I couldn’t tell her what I had discovered.
Further confirming my suspicions, Athena looked brighter in the morning; she sniffed with red eyes as she hugged Seline, and I tried my best for her not to meet my eyes because I knew she’d notice that something had changed in me.
~
In the evening, I picked up the courage and went to the place where the first wolf had been killed. The abandoned storeroom.
I sat on a table with a desk behind me, trying to write down all the things I knew about Athena after searching the place for anything that could point me to her.
The fatigue of the previous days washed over me, and I laid my head on the desk to write, and shortly after, I fell asleep.
I was awoken by the sound of the door opening. It was already night, and moonlight streamed in from a little window up close to the ceiling.
A guard came in, and I wanted to rise, only to see Athena come in after him. followed by Lucius. I stopped myself in time and tried not to make any noises.
"Are you sure we can find some evidence here?” Lucius asked her, and she looked at him and said it in that honeyed voice.
"Now, it's twilight again, Alpha, and you’ll listen to my commands. I’m hungry and crave blood, and you’ll give it to me.” She said, and the guard looked at her.
"Athena you’re…" He asked in shock and brought out his claws.
"Lucius. Do what you ought to do; I’m hungry.” Athena said, and Lucius turned to the guard.
In the dark, I could see his eyes glowing fierily. He growled, and the guard became scared.
"Alpha Lucius, she..." He said, and as Athena moved closer, he tried slashing at her, but Lucius held his arm. Just then he started to shake his head, like he had done when he was fighting against my potion.
It was then I realised Athena had compelled him!
But…
He was fighting against hurting his man.
"Do it." She said strongly, and Lucius growled threateningly. An alpha’s growl.
As the guard stared into Lucius’s eyes, he became scared and sank to his knees.
Lucius stepped back, and the guard tried to run, but Lucius roared, and it was deafening and scary.
I saw the guard wanting to fight, but his Alpha had commanded him, even without saying a word.
He sank back to his knees and watched in fear as Athena went to him with her fangs growing longer.
She bent over him, and the guard screamed.